Shield for clothes hangers



Feb. 17, 1959 H. s. COLLIN SHIELD FOR CLOTHES HANGERS Filed Nov. 25, 1955 Hefl 15'. 00%

United States Patent SHIELD FOR 'CLOTHES HANGERS Herbert S. Collin, Newton, Mass.

Application November 25, 1955, Serial No. 549,037

3 Claims. (Cl. 223-98) The present invention relates to clothes hangers and, more particularly to shields made of cardboard or similar material and used for covering ordinary triangular wire hangers to protect clothing from the hanger. a shield which can be readily attached to a wire clothes hanger, and which provides a supporting surface of much greater extent and more desirable contour than that made available by the wire hanger itself, for supporting coats, jackets and dresses.

The shield is shaped from an integral blank of cardboard or similar sheet material which is formed to provide an inner section extending across the back of the hanger and somewhat beyond its edges, 21 pair of narrow tapering intermediate strips overlying but spaced from the shoulders of the hanger, and a pair of outer sections, overlapping the front of the hanger and having slots to receive the cross bar of the hanger to anchor the shield in place. This construction, notwithstanding its simplicity, is such that, under the weight of the garment, the intermediate sections of the shield are urged toward the shoulders of the hanger so that the inner section is flexed outwardly, providing a bowed surface which helps to hold the back of the garment in proper shape and prevent wrinkles.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front plan view of a shield embodying the present invention, in place upon a wire hanger, unflexed by the Weight of a garment;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the shield and hanger assembly of Fig. 1, the shield being shown as it would appear when flexed by the weight of a garment; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank from which the shield is shaped.

' In accordance with the present invention, an exemplary shield composed, for example, of cardboard or paperboard is shown in combination with a conventional wire coat hanger 12. As shown, hanger 12, which is of conventional type, is shaped from a single run of wire to provide, a hook section 14, a joining section 16, an elbow section 18 having substantially vertical and horizontal parts, a shoulder section 20, a cross bar 22, a shoulder section 24, an elbow section 26 having substantially vertical and horizontal parts, and a joining section 28 twisted around joining section 16.

The blank shown in Fig. 3 is scored to form a generally trapezoidal inner section 30, a pair of tapered intermediate strips 32 and 34, and a pair of outer sections 36 and 38. Adjacent edges of the various sections are defined by score lines 40, 41, 42 and 43. Inner section 30 is slightly wider along its upper edge 46 than the hanger in the region of the vertical parts of elbows 18 and 26. In the lower edge 52 of inner section 30 is a cut out 54, so that the label of the garment may be seen when the garment is on the hanger.

The score lines 41 and 42 which define boundaries of inner section 30 are disposed more obliquely than shoulder sections 20 and 24 of hanger 12. The score lines 40 and 43 which, with score lines 41 and 42 respectively, define the boundaries of intermediate strips 32 and 34 diverge toward the bottom from lines 41 and 42 so that the strips 2,873,899 Patented Feb. 17, 1959 are tapered in width from top to bottom. These strips as shown in Fig. 1, are designed to overlie shoulder sections 20 and 24 of hanger 12.

Outer section 36 has a curved slit 48, partially dividing the section into two flaps 50 and 52 and leading to an opening 56. Similarly, outer section 38 has a curved slit 58, partially dividing the section into two flaps 60 and 62 and leading to an opening 64.

To install the shield on a hanger, the blank is folded along the score lines 40, 41, 42, and 43 so that section 30 lies across the back of the hanger, strips 32 and 34 overlie the shoulder portions 20 and 24 and-sections 36 and 38 are folded down over the front of the hanger. As the latter sections are bent down, the cross bar 22 is inserted into slits 48 and 58, with flaps 50 and 62 passing in backof the cross-bar and flaps 52 and 60 passing in front. The flaps are pushed down until the cross-bar enters openings 56 and 64.

Section 30 is of such a width that, when the hanger is empty, strips 32 and 34 slope slightly outward from shoulder portions2tl and 24- toward the bottom, as shown in Fig. 1. When a garment is placed on the hanger, the weight of the garment pushes these strips down and against the shoulder portions, causing section 30 to bow out at the back, as shown in Fig. 2.

The strips 32 and 34 provide surfaces of substantial width for the shoulders of the garment to rest on, thus eliminating the tendency of the wire hanger to cause creases in the shoulders of the garment, as well as protecting the garment from paint or rust from the hanger. The bowed rear section 30 holds the back of the garment in its normal, somewhat rounded contour in the region of the shoulders, so as to prevent wrinkling.

The shields can be formed from paperboard in a single stamping operation, with a minimum of waste, and thus can be manufactured very cheaply. The shields can be stored fiat, and applied to hangers, in a very simple manner, as needed.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a substantially flat coat hanger having sloping shoulder portions with lower end portions maintained spaced by a predetermined dimension: a shield, formed from a blank of deformable resilient sheet material, comprising a rear section extending across the rear of the hanger from one shoulder portion to the other, a pair of front sections disposed on the front of the hanger, and a pair of shoulder strips, each shoulder strip connecting one of said front sections to said rear section and overlying one of said shoulder portions, the blank having crease lines defining the junctions of said strips with said rear section and with the respective front sections, said rear section having a bottom portion wider than said dimension and extending sideward beyond said end portions, said rear section being normally flat and holding said strips sideward beyond said lower end portions, and said rear section being deformable to bowed shape to permit said strips to engage said lower end portions.

2. The combination described in claim 1, said strips being of increasing width from top to bottom.

3. The combination described in claim 1, said hanger having a cross-bar connecting said shoulder portions, and said front sections having openings receiving said crossbar and slots communicating with said openings for introducing said cross-bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Sahlen Mar. 9, 1954 

